


For you to notice me.

by hyemiyah



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-29
Updated: 2015-07-29
Packaged: 2018-04-11 21:03:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4452275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hyemiyah/pseuds/hyemiyah
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jongin doesn't figure it out until he sees Zitao playing with Monggu, and realises he's in love with him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	For you to notice me.

**Author's Note:**

> For [soulmates AU](http://curledupkitten.dreamwidth.org/8625.html) week.

 

 

 

  
  
Jongin doesn't figure it out until he sees Zitao playing with Monggu, and realises he's in love with him. Everything clicks into place after that. When Zitao looks up and _smiles_ at him, Jongin is 100% sure it's Zitao's name the one written in the inside of Jongin's wrist in Chinese characters.  
  
"Jongin-ah," Zitao says, and Jongin wants to melt all the way down into the core of the Earth because just hearing Zitao calling his name makes him blush. _Hard._ Jongin has always been slow when it comes to human relationships and _feelings_ , but now that he knows who his soulmate is he'll be an open book. Just being near Zitao is going to make it hard for him. People are going to notice.  
  
"Oh, h-hey," Jongin offers lamely. He's lucky Zitao is twice as slow as him and is too excited with the puppy to notice that Jongin can't quite meet his eyes.  
  
"Look who it is," Zitao lifts Monggu and shoves the puppy in Jongin's face. "Your favourite patient."  
  
Jongin blushes again. He can see himself reflected in Monggu's eyes and thanks the heavens it's the puppy who's witnessing his blush and not Zitao. Jongin becomes very aware of Zitao's body warmth, and his heart starts doing weird things, like beating really fast and stopping suddenly.  
  
When Jongin doesn't reply, Zitao moves his face and looks at Jongin behind Monggu. "What's wrong?" he asks. "Are you sick? You're as red as a tomato."  
  
_Red as a tomato._ Jongin has always thought Zitao using children's expressions was endearing, but right now he feels like one of those girls in the _shoujo_ mangas Junmyeon hyung reads. He wants to squeal at how adorable Zitao's accent is, too thick to pronounce the word tomato correctly. At just how cute he thinks Zitao is.  
  
Jongin swears he can feel the steady thrum of Zitao's heart beat, and worries Zitao, Monggu, and the entire human race will be able to hear his own heart beating furiously against his ribs.  
  
Then it hits him, a late but painful realisation. Maybe Jongin's name isn't the one written on Zitao's wrist. He's known Zitao for almost a year and he's always been the same around Jongin. Maybe he's the only one that's nervous because there's a different name on Zitao's wrist. One that isn't, Kim Jongin.  
  
"I... have a headache," Jongin says, looking down to avoid Zitao's stare. And maybe to stop himself from crying.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Jongin watches as Zitao carefully places Monggu back into his cage, whispering a promise to come back later with treats. Then he feels Zitao's warm palm against his forehead. "You're burning hot!" There's genuine concern in Zitao's voice. Jongin can hear it. _Feel it._ And all he wants to do is cry against Monggu's fur. "I told you to put on a scarf yesterday. It was so cold. I bet you caught a cold."  
  
It's unusual for Zitao to be worried. Even if he's older than Jongin and therefore, his hyung. Normally, it's Zitao in distress and Jongin (or Junmyeon hyung or Jongdae hyung) taking care of him. It's _never_ Zitao acting like a hyung. It's never Zitao acting like a _grown up._  
  
"I'm fine," Jongin mutters, still aware of the way Zitao is making his heart pound. Breaking it with the touch of his hand and his gentle words. Jongin steps back and leaves Zitao's palm touching air, then stumbles and hates himself for it. Because then Zitao is right next to him, an arm wrapped around Jongin's thin waist.  
  
"No, you're not." His waist burns. In fact, his entire body is so hot he thinks he is going to combust. Burn away in flames and turn into ashes.  
  
Zitao half carries him to one of the operating rooms and helps him up onto the table. Jongin worries he's going to melt the metal with the heat of his body. He fixes his eyes on the scalpels and scissors, still a little dizzy. His heart no longer belongs to him, but to the man who's tying his shoelaces.  
  
"You're going to fall if you walk like this, dummy." Zitao uses the bunny ears method, Jongin notices, and hums softly as he ties Jongin's shoe. And Jongin wants to cry because right now all he wants to do is _kiss_ Zitao in the lips and tell him he's in love with him. That he's finally figure it out, after almost a year. But he can't do any of that because it isn't his name on Zitao's wrist. Jongin wonders who is it, and his eyes sting when he remembers the way Zitao _beams_ whenever Junmyeon hyung gets the afternoon shift and Zitao gets to be all over him. Or the way Zitao's voice gets a little whinier and pleading whenever he calls Jongdae 'hyung'.  
  
"Tao?" Jongin hears himself say, and his voice sounds weird. It doesn't feel like it's his anymore.  
  
"Mmmh..." Zitao still isn't quite done with the shoelace. Jongin has this horrible sinking feeling Zitao may not be good with shoelaces, but he's still trying his best for Jongin, who is apparently unwell.  
  
"Whose name is it..." Jongin begins; he feels a lump in his throat. He's always been horrible with words. "Who do you have written... on your wrist?"  
  
"Yours." Zitao finally finishes tying Jongin's shoelaces. They both stare at it for a few seconds. It looks a bit crocked, but it's tight and steady. Jongin finally processes Zitao's answer and forgets how to breathe.  
  
"Oh."  
  
Zitao laughs, and that's all it takes to make Jongin remember to inhale and exhale.  
  
"Since when did you know?" Jongin asks. He feels like he can do anything, _say_ anything. At least to Zitao.  
  
"What do you mean? Kim Jongin is your name, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes." Zitao's facial expression doesn't change. Jongin worries he hasn't heard him. "Yes!" He repeats, louder this time.  
  
Zitao smiles as an answer. Jongin wants to stop looking at Zitao because he may combust, but Zitao's smile has always been hypnotising.  
  
So he's _always_ known. Jongin thinks, feeling dumb. Maybe he's the reason Zitao decided to move to South Korea.  
  
"You just figured it out, didn't you?"  
  
Jongin nods. Nods and blushes. Zitao lets out a weird laugh. Jongin feels relief, and something stronger, something like love and forever. A warm palm against his forehead, a deep voice humming while tying shoelaces.  
  
"I thought I was going to die."  
  
"I'm glad you didn't," Zitao says in a deeper voice, one that makes Jongin's knees go weak.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[podfic] For you to notice me. by hyemiyah](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9058402) by [theblueintheday (bluedreaming)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluedreaming/pseuds/theblueintheday)




End file.
